The snowflakes have landed!

The snowflakes have landed!

Liverpool’s very own magical winter festival of lights, soundscapes and snowflakes has arrived – the Snowflake Trail will be enchanting the imaginations of young and old alike from now until 3 January.

Launched on Thursday 1 Dec at the Church Street Christmas tree with performances from Broughton Hall Catholic High School choir and the switching on of the tree lights, the trail sees local landmarks transformed with dazzling lights, swirling soundscapes and interactive illustrations, plus giant sculptural snowflakes decorated by twelve of the region’s most exciting visual artists.

NEW ORIGINAL STORY

Read the specially-written seasonal story ‘The Sprite before Christmas’ by Lisa Bower and follow Priss and her team of sprites as they weave wintry magic through city centre streets. Free copies of the story and trail map are widely available from shops, hotels and venues across the city – see the full list of stockists at thisliverpool.com/christmas

SCULPTURAL SNOWFLAKES

12 local and national artists have been hard at work decorating snowflake sculptures that have now been scattered across the city centre. You can find the full list of locations in your trail map – don’t forget to visit them all!

All you have to do is read the Snowflake Trail story and visit the Church St Christmas tree to solve the clue then submit your answer via email or post. It’s free to enter, and the winner will be drawn in early January. Throughout December there will also be a number of spot prizes given away to people who have used the #snowflaketrail so get posting!

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!

As readers of the story will learn a new trail element this year is the Snowflake Generator -anyone can make it snow at FACT on Wood Street. Simply choose from one of six snowflake designs, pick your favourite colour and tweet your choice using #snowflaketrail to see it appear on the big light window at the front of the building. (www.fact.co.ukwww.thisliverpool.com/Christmas

INTERACTIVE AUGMENTED REALITY ILLUSTRATIONS

As people follow the trail they will discover illustrations from the story reproduced on shop fronts along their way. By simply downloading the free smart phone augmented reality app “Aspect AR” and viewing the illustrations through their phone the pictures will be brought to life – even the illustrations on the giant storybook in Williamson Square will move!

THE ILLUMAPHONIUM

Inventor and musician Michael Davis has created a 3 and a half metre tall unique musical instrument called the Illumaphonium that will bring people together in a fun and spontaneous music-making experience in the Bluecoat courtyard. The semi acoustic, semi automatic, multi-player musical sculpture consists of more than two hundred illuminated chime bars. Each bar responds to touch with ever changing patterns of light and sound spreading out over its surface.

The traditional 17 metre Sitka Spruce tree that lights up Church Street has been decorated this year with an enormous colourful ‘paper’ chain. Over 700 children from 24 Liverpool schools created their own geometric designs and decorated their own links, with each link then joined together to form a – very long – chain draped around the tree; see it glow from 4:30pm daily.

ILLUMINATIONS & SOUNDSCAPES

Daily from 4.30pm from inside the beautiful Victorian Arcade building on Lord Street (next to BHS) and at other locations across the city centre specially-commissioned soundscapes from composer Chris Barker create a wintry, magical atmosphere combined with light installations to bring the Snowflake Trail alive in the dark. Follow the trail to see and hear them for yourself.

Ian Strettle, Chair of Liverpool City Central BID, “We’re happy to bring The Snowflake Trail back for its third year to create a unique experience for residents and visitors to Liverpool.

“The trail is going to take people on a magical story-led journey to discover wonderful pieces of art in beautiful locations while they shop and dine along the way.

“We’re delighted with the level of support and engagement from our BID members, from giving away prizes and promoting the trail to hosting key features of the trail and bringing the story alive.”

The Snowflake Trail is brought to you by Liverpool BID Company and produced by Open Culture on behalf of businesses in the city centre.

The Snowflake Trail is part of One Magical City, an enchanting programme of festive events taking place across Liverpool, from its waterfront to the retail heart and historic areas. Discover more on onemagicalcity.com